Venetian blind



Nov. 22, 1938. c. E. CLANCY 2,137,444

VENETIAN BLIND Filed Aug. 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

C. E. CLANCY v VENETIAN BLIND Nov. 22, 1938.

Filed Aug. 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOIIZ.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED, :STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2 Claims.

- This invention relates to and has for an object thereof the provision of a novel form of Venetian blind which comprises fewer parts than used in the present day types of such blinds,

g, and entails less cost in production and installation thereof while aifording all of the desirable appearances,efiects and features of said present day types.

, An additional object is to provide a Venetian 1o blind of the character described wherein there is conveniently provided between an end of the tiltable head rail and a rail supporting bracket, an efficient yet simple means for releasably holding the head rail against unintentional moveit ment from a predetermined tilted position.

Other objects may appear as the description progresses.

I have shown a preferred form of my invention in the accompanying drawings, subject to modi- 20 flcation within the scope of the, appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the Venetian blind of this invention as when installed;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1; a

, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

30 Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 44 of Fig, 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the brackets; Fig. 6 is a sectionalview taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

35 Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 6,- showing the head rail and slats tilted as when closing the blind;

Fig- 8 is a similar view to Fig. '7 showing the head rail and slats as'when oppositely tilted so 40 as to partially open the blind; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the plane of 'line 99 of Fig. 3.

' One embodiment of the Venetian blind of this invention comprises brackets L and 2 adapted 45' to be secured to a window frame A or the like, a

head rail 3, a means B for tiltably and removably supporting said head rail in said brackets, a

foot rail 4, pairs of flexible hangers 5 depending from said head rail and secured to said foot rail,

50 slats 6, flexible straps I carried by said hangers and supporting said slats for tilting movement and for the raising and lowering thereof, a means C for tilting said head rail and slats, a means D for releasably holding the head rail against 55 unintentional movement out of a predetermined tilted position, and ameans E for raising and lowering the foot rail and said slats.

As here shown, the Venetian blind elements and the operating means therefor are installable and'removablei as a unit through use of-the 5 means B which comprises channelled end members t and 9 which slidably receive and frictionally hold the head rail 3 at the ends of the latter. The end member 8 is provided with an opening it for reception of a trunnion ll car- 10 ried by the bracket l. [The end member 9 is provided with a headed trunnion l2 adapted. to be removably received in an upwardly opening socket it formed in the bracket 2. It will now be seen that with the brackets installed on the window frame or the like, the head rail having the end pieces 8 and Q frictionally held thereon, may be readily fitted to the brackets like the ordinary roller shade, and may be as readily and as easily removed therefrom.

The means C for tilting the head rail and slats comprises an upstanding apertured lug it formed integral with the end piece 9 and having a flexible operating cord l5 threaded through the apertures thereof. This cord is extended over the top of the head rail and depends from opposite sides thereof with its ends in position at all times to be grasped and pulled whereby to rock said head rail in either direction and accordingly tilt the slats, as desired. 3

It will be noted that the means D for maintaining the head rail against unintentional movement out of a predetermined tilted position includes a circular series of depressions it formed in the bracket 2 concentrically with the axis of 5 the head rail. Cooperating with these depressions is a spring urged detent means comprising spring arms I! fixed to theend piece 9 by the trunnion l2 and extending laterally in opposite directions therefrom with their outer ends clear' 40 of said end piece. On these outer ends are rounded detents l8 adapted to be engaged in' the depressions l6 as the head rail is tilted. Thus, it is seen that in all positions into which the head rail is turned or tilted, the detent means D will operate to maintain the desired tilted position of said rail and the slats 6.

In accordance with this invention I employ the single rail 3 to take the place of the separate head rail and tilt rail employed in the present day types of Venetian blinds. In using one rail to serve the purpose of the two rails, Ieliminate the use ofcomparatively complicated andexpensive hardware, it only being necessary to employ a simple form of bracket to install the blind.

Furthermore, the means for tilting the slats and the means for raising and lowering the blind are of a simple and inexpensive form by reason of the use of a single header bar in accordance with this invention, it being noted that the said operating means are solely supported by the single bar.

I In accordance with this invention the means E, for raising and lowering the blind, comprises a flexible operating element or cord l9 having its ends secured to the foot rail 4 and extended upwardly through apertures in the slats 6, then through openings 20 in the head rail and around pulleys 2|. The cord I9 is then doubled and extended over an end pulley 22 and allowed to hang from the head rail so that it may be readily grasped to raise and lower the blind. On the window frame A is a cleat 23 to which the cord I9 is secured to maintain the shade in predetermined elevated positions.

It will be noted that the rail 3 is recessed or grooved on its upper side for reception of the pulleys and cord, and that a cover plate 24 may be used to conceal these 'parts. Furthermore, the end pieces 8 and 9 may be secured in place, if desired, by fastenings 25.

It will now be seen that the Venetian blind of this invention will provide for the advantages hereinbefore noted in a particularly efficacious by and between said rails, means carried entirely by said head rail for tilting said head rail, said means for tilting said head rail including an upstanding lug on said head rail and a flexible operating element secured to and depending from opposite sides of said head rail, and means for releasably holding said head rail in tilted position including a'headed trunnion on said head rail, one of said brackets having a slot receiving said trunnion, a spring member fixed between its ends to said trunnion and having its free ends outwardly ofiset, and a similarly outwardly olfset portion on said bracket on opposite sides of .said slot for frictional contact with said ends of said spring member.

2. In a Venetian blind, brackets therefor, a head rail, channelled end pieces on the head rail, means for tiltably mounting said end pieces on said brackets, Venetian blind elements supported solely by said head rail, means supported solely by said head rail for tilting said head rail, including a headed trunnion onone of said end pieces, one of said brackets having an upwardly opening socket therein removably receiving said headed trunnion, a spring member fixed between its ends to said last named end piece, said last named bracket having depressions therein and .detent members on the ends of said spring member and adapted to engage in said sockets, said means for tilting said rail including an upstand- 1 ing lug on said last named end piece and flexible operating members secured to said lug and de-' pending from opposite sides of said rail.

CHARLES E. CLANCY. 

